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What’s wrong with Choo Shin-soo?

July 1, 2014

Rangers’ Korean outfielder hits 0.187 for June
Hasn’t walked since June 16

Choo Shin-soo is seen here listening to Rangers’ batting coach Dave Magadan. (AP)

By Lee Kyutae

What’s wrong with Choo Shin-soo? His batting average (BA) has dropped to pedestrian 0.251 and he hasn’t walked in two weeks.

The Texas Rangers’ $130 million investment has tailed off considerably since his red-hot start. In early May, the 31-year-old South Korean outfield was flying high with 0.370 BA and 0.500 on-base percentage (OBP), leading the American League in both categories.

With over 1.000 OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage), he was making the Rangers look extremely smart.

However, Choo has been on a downward spiral ever since and June was just a nightmare for him. Choo struggled to hit 0.187 for the disastrous month, and even walks has stopped coming.

Perhaps hitting in the third spot just does not agree with him, as the Rangers’ manager Ron Washington has finally ended the experiment last weekend.

Choo is hitting 0.193 with a 0.268 OBP over 88 plate appearances as the No. 3 hitter.

Still, ESPN.com’s senior baseball writer Eric Karabell insists that “there really doesn’t appear to be anything wrong with Rangers outfielder Shin-Soo Choo that patience, health and luck won’t fix.”